AGGREGATES IN A PRESENCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

摘要

A presence management system is described whereby connections between watchi ng parties and watched parties in a multiple access communications network are managed. When the presence management system receives a contact request from a watching party it determines whether the required watched party is available for contact. The system then provides information about this to the watching party who made the request. The presence management system chooses the best mode of communication (e.g. email or fax) taking into account the watched parties preferences and details about the facilities available to the watchi ng party. If, the presence management system informs the watching party that th e watched party is unavailable, the watching party is able to set up a monitor . In determining whether the required watched party is available for contact, the presence management system uses stored information about the watched party, information about the required connection (e.g. size and type) and al so rules. In addition, information about events from the multiple access networ ks are used e.g. geographical location of watched party mobile phones. Advantageously, watched parties or watching parties are may be groups or aggregates of individuals. Aggregates are treated in the same way as individual watched parties or watching parties. For example, a group of individuals with a common interest may form in order that these watching parties are all informed of a change in the state of one or more watched parties which is relevant to them.